MEGA BREAKFAST

 SUNDAY -Helen working all day she was finished for around half past five booked a table for half past seven  at one of the Vintage Inns we have eaten there before .We got to the restaurant ordered drinks when they came to take our order for food there was literally nothing left apart from ham and chicken pie , belly pork and vegan dishes we ended up leaving we was not charge for the drinks although I didn't drink mine as it would mean when we went elsewhere I would not have been able to have another pint '

We ended up going to the Wetherby Whaler as time was running out we got fish and chips I got a pint of Magners problem solved .

MONDAY - Looking forward to Friday as I break up from work a whole nine days off and the weather is getting hot again so hopefully  more BBQ's in the pipeline .

TUESDAY - Was up a hour late had a shower took the dogs out had to take Helen to Slaithwaite for her eyebrows doing at 10.45 .Decided to go to the Albion farm shop at Dobcross we bought the usual Scotch eggs , pork pie , steak and ale pie white and brown flat bottom breadcakes .We decided to go to the café section for an all day breakfast which was way too much food did my best I did have Helens black pudding as well  .England beat DR Congo 2-1 in the world cup .

COOKING WITH FIRE

 SATURDAY - Cooler today with a very nice breeze blowing which is making it well chilled .Picked up a 200w heater fan from Screwfix I got a strange look from the sale assistant asking if I knew it was a heater fan I said I did jokingly I told him it was not hot enough it was 26 centigrade and rising I was even sweating when I made this comment simple fact turn the heater off and  it blows cold. Helen was in getting her nails done when the technician had the same fan and Helen said it was running really cold and the shop was way chilled hence why we bought one. 

Went to the tip got rid of a load of rubbish from Helens shed along with some garden waste and domestic waste.

Went to Fox Valley change my two pairs of shorts I bought them in XL instead of  L I.am a slim bastard not. Bought some meat to barbeque chicken . ribs , burgers sausages and of course chicken .

Went to Aldi bought some strawberries , choc ices for the hounds some Franks  hot sauce and more fresh fruit and cider  . Went home dusted of the barbeque grill and filled it with charcoal and firelighters and set fire to it using my blow torch .

FISH , ICE AND SHORTS

 WEDNESDAY - Working next week then a week off also got a week and two days in August hopefully the weather is still as hot as it has been this week .

THURSDAY - Washed the car again going to try and keep it 80% clean that's a very light dust and,  grimme , no heavy marks mud or bird poo it is nice when the sun is hot using a hosepipe it is easy to keep cool no guesses how .

B TIME

 THURSDAY - Washed polished vacuumed the car interior and exterior even under the hood and boot no matter how much time and effort that  I spend to detailing it it is  never going to like its just been driven out of the car showroom for the first time the hardest to clean being the alloy wheels and tyres and maybe the carpets in the foot wells , anyway it is looking shiny black which in my eyes is job done good .

FRIDAY - Went to Fox Valley bought a pair of swim shorts/Bermudas just in case the weather improves fingers crossed it will .

SATURDAY - Fitted the new rubber pull boot handle  you have to unscrew the old handle that is left in after it snapped pop the boot liner pull the old out put the new one in push the plastic boot panel back in place and screw the new handle in place a ten minute job .

SUNDAY - Helen went up Pule hill for the summer solstice with her friends and her cousin Sharon she had flowers in her hair and some facial transfer tattoos .

Late in the afternoon we went over to my daughters house for a Fathers day barbie it was a glorious sunny afternoon perfect for outdoor cooking and eating it was very nice to catch up and chill out best way to end the week thanks to Josh for being head cook and my daughter for doing all the prepping .

ON THE COAST

 SATURDY - Went to Helen's parents in Acaster fitted the water butt to one of the fall pipes had to go to B&Q get two new brackets for the fall pipe it is only holds a 100 litres of rain water not much all considered .It might have been better under the window less chance of it getting blown over on the corner is risky but that's were they wanted it .

SUNDAY - Took the dogs to Seaham we was meeting up with Martin , Katie  and Sharon .On the way stopped at McDonalds had double sausage McMuffin hash browns and a banana milk shake took out and  saved a sausage Patties for the dogs . Got to Seaham mid morning we   parked up where we did on our  last visit .Walked down to the beach the dogs didn't seem to mind the pebble beach parts are sand but more pebbles than sand at one point both dogs got their feet wet in the waves that were rolling in. After spending a good four hours there collecting more sea glass and Hag stones that's the pebbles with the hole that goes right through. 

From here with Sharon following in her car  we headed for Kettleness beach we was going to see a waterfall but we couldn't get down to the beach from were we where parked so we went to Scarborough we parked at the harbour it is  free parking after six and walked to the grand hotel all along the beach front .We went out on the veranda of the hotel and I took some pictures of Scarborough bay which thousands of other people must have took over the years .

From Scarborough we went to Sandsend to the Fish Cottage for fish and chips we sat on the picnic tables out side to eat them they were ok they had sold out of bread cakes but the curry sauce was good and the service ok the fish could have been bigger but after being out all day smelling and tasting the sea air they tasted fine .

The dogs were not eating we took food and their food bowls with us along with fresh water they were not wanting their food or even their treats they had water at every stop but food no .They were both extremely well behaved in the car they are silent they don't jump around although they are secured using their harness and seat belts with clip in straps that then go to the lead attachment loop on their harness .

The final destination was Rudston in Driffield to see a massive monolith the tallest prehistoric standing stone in the U.K is 16 metres tall with 8m's going in to the ground and 8m's above the ground to keep it securely upright and is roughly 4,000 years old and is located in the grave yard of All Saints Church in  East Yorkshire .

HOW NOW BROWN COW

 FRIDAY - Last day of my two weeks annual leave and it is still raining typical .My Daughter the seasoned traveller is now in Milan for a short three night break will come back Monday .

Going to Slaithwaite to HD Seven  to get our hair cut amazing the sun has put in an appearance for how long who knows hopefully all day and throughout the Weekend .We did get to sit on the patio for a couple of hours before the weather changed .Planted the two small Acer trees we bought a few days ago into the wooden half barrels.

Watched the new Guy Ritchie film "I n The Grey " 10/10 a real good action film does Guy ever make a bad film .

SATURDAY -Have a guess that's right it's raining  but that does not make going back to work easier I knew when I had two weeks off going back would be a nightmare well Monday is looming .

Went to Tong garden centre bought two bags of pea gravel and another bag of compost no Acers no plants going to a garden centre and leaving with no foliage does not happen never ever first time for everything . 

SUNDAY - Took the dogs out in between the rain starting and stopping decided to go to the Brown Cow at Ackworth around fifty minutes away we saw a review come up on Facebook and it looked decent so we decided to go for Lunch table was booked for three thirty .The food was very good no complaints reasonably priced atmosphere sound quite a few people eating be awhile but would eat there again one day .My Daughter took the train to Switzerland for  day out .

GLASS BEACH SEAHAM

 WEDNESDAY - Was up at half past six took the dogs out .We was setting off for Seaham on the Durham coastline 112 miles away taking us over two hours drive to get there we have never been before so neither of us know what to expect .We got there just after ten parking was great drove down the sea front to parking places the end of town parking was three quid for the whole day .

The Seaham beach area boasts a rich history of glass production dating back to 1853. This venture eventually merged into the Londonderry Bottle Works, which operated until 1921 and produced up to 20,000 hand-blown bottles every day. The bottles were exported via ship to London and Europe. Local resources such as sand and limestone were utilized, and rejected glass—often referred to as “end of day” glass—was carelessly discarded into the sea. This waste has contributed to the sea glass we treasure today.

We did find quite a few pieces mainly clear glass with the odd few green and one small red no blue or yellow we did find some pebbles for the garden the beach is quite long and there were quite a few people hunting for glass. In the afternoon we walked down the front of the beach into town and went to Bells fish and chip shop eating in the restaurant the food was fine not  the best on the coast but would give it a second try . 

Really enjoyed the hours spent at Seaham will be going back later in the year hopefully .

THURSDAY - Relentless rain for this week and next not very good for June hopefully it gets better asp 

Applied to refinance the Skoda H.P over the next three years hopefully fingers crossed all goes well otherwise I'm without a car which means getting to work will be impossible not on a bus route and cant carshare .

GOING BANANA'S

SUNDAY - Went to the Springs shopping outlet went to Next clothes shop I bought two pairs of jeans and two pairs of shorts one also in denim I have never had denim shorts before I doubt I will be wearing them next week .I also bought a short sleeved smart casual shirt. From there went to JD Sports and bought a pair of Croc sandals and Adidas sliders as well as two Adidas T-shirts retro style. Bought Helen two pairs of shorts and a pair of brown linen trousers .

Sunday evening we had been invited to her son's house Liam and his partner Mel  for a late dinner his house is in Driglington abought forty minutes away he lives in a three bed new build they bought it in 2024 and have been in it two years how time flies .   

 MONDAY - I have all week off work its my second week annual leave and the weather is not looking great I doubt we will either have a barbeque or a pizza feast its too cold, wet and grey .We went to our new farm shop we discovered a few weeks ago whilst out driving .We bought some plumb red tomatoes they are the best I bought a steak and ale pie £7.50 , a scotch egg £5.00 , half a dozen thick pork sausages £8.50 , four slices of smoked ham £12.50 nine bread cakes at forty-five pence each a tub of coleslaw , cheese onion sandwich filler and tuna sandwich filler each around the three quid mark.

TUESDAY - Nothing remarkable went to B&M in Barnsley Helen bought three banana plants and two Japanese Acers in the evening went to Morrisons bought a few groceries and two wooden half barrel planters .